– Just another indie author letting things get out of hand :)

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About & C.V.

Okay, what do I say here… Born in what is now a London suburb, went to school in Kent and Cornwall – didn’t spend all of my formative years in school, though! College in Surrey aged 21, University in Southampton aged 32… didn’t spend all of my time there either!

Basically, you’re not going to learn anything from that. What I can tell you is: Qualified ITEC Holistic Therapist, NHS HCSW/RDA, First Aider and former SIA Door Supervisor. Trained motorcycle maintenance mechanic. Has worked in biker bars, and the largest capacity nightclub in the Southern U.K. Does not own a dog. Never goes to a hairdresser.

Previously won Raindance’sLive!Ammunition!! movie pitching contest in London in July 1999, in front of a live audience of film-makers, tutors and students, with the screenplay ‘Heavy Duty’ (which later spawned the Death & The City novels in 2008).

Likes sports coupe cars and boy racer hot hatches. Can’t ballroom dance, but can knit a mean hoody and sing 2nd Soprano range if life depended on it. Designed own tattoos. (No, you can’t see them).

Competed in the British and Southern regional Taekwon-do once as a novice. It was surprisingly boring. Did some other martial arts over a period of 22 years, including the use of tables and chairs at one point. Now more interested in vaulting over them, and has the surgical scars and physiotherapy to show for it.

Collected Barbie dolls, now customises them. Also went through a shoe phase, and customised quite a few of those too. Not overly-keen on fancy handbags, or phones.

Also collects successful new eye operations for Graves’ Disease, has a Frequent Flyer file at a famous eye hospital. Would never go out in public otherwise, without their amazing work.

Virtual gardener and even more virtual home-maker. Has got the hang of washing-machine, cooker, microwave, dishwasher, lawnmower, and garden shears so far.

Still figuring out relationships. Having life all sussed would probably hinder the writing of fiction anyway. Also occasionally admins on other blogs and pages, such as for Planetoplasty, Hard Ink Cafe, and Lauren Boutain – alter ego for writing contemporary romance/romantic comedy. Even more occasional rants can be found on Voodoo Spice.

Wrote first novel aged 18. Wrote first screenplay aged 27. Pretty much has been writing all the time she’s meant to be doing something else. 🙂 Occasionally tries to make friends, with varying success, depending on the day’s recall of how social skills are meant to work.

Has no intention of attempting cookery, ice-skating or dancing on the television. The top of the plasma screen is far too narrow to balance on.

Still interested in meeting agents and publishers. Especially if they pay for the coffee. 🙂

I do other things when the mood strikes, like mash-up music as above… 🙂

The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons by Sophie Neville – proofread, edit, spellcheck, insert illustrations, edit, dub and upload behind-the-scenes footage onto Youtube for active video link inclusion in ebook text, format ebook and print proof copy files, research and correct references and bibliography, create cover files, set up blog and additional promotion tools, upload and re-edit ebook for Ashton House Publishing, create and upload book trailer for Youtube. Promotion work including edit of cover blurb and product description, drafting initial press release to Richard Kay of the Daily Mail, and assistance in negotiation correspondence for the author to appear interviewed in StudioCanal’s restored 40th Anniversary Swallows & Amazons DVD/BluRay extras and for her to present the film at the Electric Palace on Hastings Pirate Day 2014. Print rights based on the formatted proof since acquired and published by Classic TV Press.

Jacaranda Spring by Ann Toomey – proofread and format Word document for Kindle, tutor author to set up account and assist with upload.

Photography credit – press:

Contemporary photo of Sophie Neville with her International Rubery Book Award. Photo taken by me in August 2013, printed in the Westmorland Gazette, Thursday 28th November 2013

Video – shooting and editing:

New Sun Rising: Stories for Japan (Charity Anthology) – original photography, edit and dub, upload for sharing by publisher and co-authors.

How To: Tying a Dry Fly for Fly Fishing – original cinematography, edit and dub, upload onto own channel for sharing. Initially commissioned by Steven Milton.

The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons: Book trailer – edit 1973 footage and photographs, create, title and dub movie file, upload onto author’s channel for sharing. Re-shared in part by the Daily Mail Online for an article on the 2015 re-make.

Ride the Wings of Morning: Book trailer – edit photographs and illustrations, title and dub, upload onto author’s channel for sharing.

Very witty. I think you have a very healthy world view and self-image to be able to joke so consistently about things that are probably really very important to you. And I think a good sense of humor is one of the best things we can take with us into life’s adventures (also, it sounds like you’re way more adventurous than I am). Keep writing!

Hey stranger, this is Keith from California. Remember “hitting the snooze alarm on Mercury”? Anyway, I got rid of my k_whitacre email address and in the process lost yours. Would love to hear from you. You can email me at the address I provided to post this reply in the first place. Hope all is going well for you.

Bummer on the eye surgeries and the spotty friend making, that sounds a bit difficult, but the rest sounds very cool, well done, extensive about. Thanks for following me. I’ll check out some of your blog next. I didn’t see a hairdresser much when I was your age either. 🙂

Also the accomplishments are great and you have managed to outline those without being arrogant and showing the people that you know the downsides and the way with life. I hope you get what am trying to say. You are one strong and inspiring writer.